After making sure they had everything they'd need for a one-night trip, Dmitri closed he and Kurt's luggage and lugged it over his shoulder. They were going to visit his family just outside of Anavrin, and he had to admit that he was actually pretty anxious for his mother and father to meet Kurt. There was just something about his parents that made other's feel welcomed, and he wanted that very much for the young man he loved. Even if Kurt chose to distance himself from the rest of his family, Dimitri at least wanted him to feel like he had somewhere else to call home outside of Great Britain.
The moment he'd gotten home from work, he changed into something more comfortable and made his ordinary string bean salad, and while Kurt had been home for three hours before he'd gotten off, he was happy to see Kurt had taken it upon himself to make a dessert for the dinner tomorrow. It looked delicious with strawberries and what looked like some kind of cream and jelly in between two soft pieces of cake, as well as a sort of white sugar sprinkled on top. Kurt had called it Victoria Sponge Cake, and Dimitri had to say it looked pretty darn tasty.
While he carried their bags and his salad, Kurt was careful with the cake he'd made and they locked up the apartment. Taking Dimitri's Mercedes, he tossed them into the back seat and situated the salad bowl so it wouldn't fall over on the way. "I'm so nervous," Kurt said, buckling his belt when he dropped into the passenger side. "I know you keep saying your parents will like me, but, I don't know; I feel like I'm not the 'bring home to meet your mom' type of guy."
Dimitri gave life to the engine and backed out of the parking spot, "I guess I know how you feel," he said, driving off out of the apartment complex. "I've met my share of parents before, and it is a pretty nerve-racking thing. But I swear you have nothing to worry about with my mom and dad." He smiled as he merged onto the highway from the access road. "My mom might seem a little overwhelming at first, but that's just because she likes meeting new people. She's a very social creature. My dad, he's pretty laid back, so he'll probably just introduce himself and then get back to worrying about what bets he's placing with my uncles for the football game tomorrow."
Kurt huffed a small laugh, "Emphasis on American football, please. Don't get me hopes up."
"Did you ever play for a team back in the UK?" Dimitri nodded with an amused smile. "Were you good at football?"
"Shit yeah! Dad got me on a youth team when I was six, and I played up into early secondary. I stopped playing when – when they passed away, but it was always fun every time him and Mom came out to a game." Kurt found a bit of humor in what he shared, and went on, and Dimitri was happy to listen to the easy times from his previous life. "I swear, he always looked like he'd bite his arm off whenever I got the ball, screaming, 'You got it, lad! Bring it home!' He was so embarrassing." Before Dimitri could think to comment, Kurt added, "They'd like you if they were still here. I know it."
The older man touched a hand to the back of Kurt's hair when the silence settled in, nothing but the low radio sounding out around them.
"Bollocks..." Kurt's voice cracked and he wiped beneath his eyes, clearing the shine of tears before they could fall. "It's been so long since I actually talked about them. I never realize how much I miss them until I really think about them never coming back."
"I'm sorry," Dimitri said, "We don't have to–."
"No, I want to. Can I – Can I tell you about them some more?"
"Of course," glad he was willing to open a part of his past that already made him feel a pinch of sorrow.
Kurt tried to blink away the remaining droplets, and leaned back in the passenger seat as their journey continued. "I'll never forget when me Mom said I was her miracle baby. After Danny, the doctors told her she'd never have any more children due to some kind of complication, but then I came along fourteen years later. They always treated me like some kind of fragile ornament and I loved it. While Danny was off being the smart one, getting good grades and what not, I was sheltered by me parents. Usually kids hate when their Moms and Dads are overly concerned for them, but I loved being with them all the time anyways. They made me feel like the life I had meant something."
"What did you do for fun?"
"Oh, we had a schedule most weeks," Kurt went on without fret. "Even though Dad was busy during the day being a chairman, Mondays through Wednesday evenings after football practice were mainly spent at home, but we'd play board games, cook dinner, and watch movies together until they'd rush me off to bed. Thursdays were game days, and if the team took home a win, Mom would buy ice cream and we'd go for walks through Birmingham afterwards. Fridays, we'd either hit the cinema or some kind of amusement place, like we'd go karting or something, and then on Saturdays we'd go to London for whatever we could find to do, and Sundays were just a relaxing day at home. I miss those times."
Taking Kurt's hand as he held the steering wheel with another, Dimitri caressed his knuckles softly. "It sounds like they really loved you. I'm glad you had parents that always wanted to be involved."
"If I could see them one more time," Kurt swallowed a lump in his throat, "I'd tell them they don't have to worry about me being alone. 'Cos I have you." He kissed the older man's cheek then as he drove and sat back down, "They'd appreciate how kind you are."
To hear that made Dimitri's chest feel a little tight. He hated that Kurt knew what it was like to lose his parents, even more since he'd lost them so early on in his life, but if there was anything he could be sure of, it was that he'd do his best to make sure this young man that he loved never felt like he was alone again. He'd be here for as long as Kurt wanted him.
After an hour of driving, it was dark and the sun had gone down. Dimitri merged off of the freeway, turning down a lonesome stretch of road that led into a neighborhood where the houses were at a far distance from one another. Large patches of land were owned by each family, some with a few cows or horses, and when they pulled up to a modern, light tanned bricked two-story, Kurt breathed in and out coolly. He hoped he wouldn't embarrass himself while they were here.
Dimitri parked at the head of a long asphalt drive beside an SUV and they got out, Kurt carrying the bags this time while the older man took the food. "Just relax," Dimitri smiled towards him from over the car. "You're okay here."
When he received a nod, they headed up to the front door under an archway and Dimitri rang the doorbell while Kurt hid partially behind him. A moment passed before the locks on the other side sounded as if coming undone and the door was opened by Mrs. Leventis. She was a pretty, curvy woman in her mid-fifties, short cut blond hair in a bobbed style, and she was dressed in tan slacks and a blue, long-sleeved blouse. Her blue eyes lit up the moment she laid eyes on her grown son, letting out a high-pitched noise before dragging him into an embrace. "Oh, Jamesy boy!" she exclaimed.
Dimitri smiled and hugged his loving mother back, "Hi, mom."
"And look here," Mrs. Leventis released her son and glanced off towards Kurt. She seemed to examine him a moment, the smile never leaving her face, and she nodded as if impressed. "Handsome one ya got here, Jamesy."
"Mom, this is Kurt Callahan," Dimitri said. "The shy one I told you about over the phone."
The woman took a step out the door with open arms, and Kurt tried to hide his nervousness when he was taken by her. "Hello," he said, and upon hearing his English accent, Mrs. Leventis let go and stepped back.
"You're British? Where you from?"
"Birmingham," Kurt said, calming down a little when he felt Dimitri place a hand at the small of his back.
"Nice, nice," she backed away from the door, "You can just call me Sherrie, Kurt, and don't be afraid to ask me anything at all if you need something. Now, why don't you all come in and make yourselves comfortable? I'll take the food, Jamesy – Oh, what's this cake you made?"
Finding a voice to speak for himself, Kurt said, "I made it, it's a Victoria Sponge Cake. Me mom taught me how to make it."
"Well, it looks delicious, dear. Thanks for bringing it."
When she turned her back to head to the kitchen and put their food in the fridge, Dimitri closed the front door behind them. They stood in the foyer a moment and he took the bags from Kurt, lifting the younger man's chin as well when he looked down and breathed. "You alright?" he asked. "I promise you everything will be fine here. Try to relax."
Kurt nodded, "Sorry, I can't help it. I just feel like it's only a matter of time before I say something wrong and ruin–."
A quick kiss of reassurance was left on Kurt's lips, and he looked up at the optimistic man before him. "Everything is going to be fine," he was promised. "Don't worry so much."
Pursing his lips for a moment as he breathed in and out, Kurt tried the best he could to keep his nerves under lock. He was never the greatest when it came to sealing away his unease, especially in awkward situations. Sarcasm and unnecessary comments were always his go to when things began to itch away at his skin, but he couldn't let himself delve into those notions of security. He was visiting Dimitri's family for fuck sakes. He had to keep it cool here.
When he released a long breath, Kurt finally nodded that he was ready, and sought one more kiss before him and Dimitri entered the living area. The room was spacious, the couch angular as it faced a large television suspended on the tall, and an entertainment center below was topped with stylish empty vases, and small framed family pictures.
"Hey, dad," Dimitri said to the man seated in the center of the couch.
His name was Attis Leventis and his hair was the same shade as his son's, a darkish blond, and he had a tamed beard, heavy brows to add to the intimidation of his burly build. If anything, he was a rather in-shape man for someone in his fifties. Dressed in mere black sweatpants and a muscle t-shirt that showed off his muscular arms, he stood from the couch upon seeing his son. "Dimitri!" the man smiled, slapping what appeared to be a strong hand on his son's shoulder before pulling him in for a hug. "How's my one and only boy?"
Dimitri winced a bit as he stepped out of the embrace, "I'm good," he said, stepping aside so Kurt could be seen. "Dad, I want you to meet Kurt Callahan. Kurt, this is my dad."
"Attis," the man said, holding out his hand for Kurt and he took it, the English boy underestimating the natural grip strength of the man before him. "I forgot my wife told me Dimitri would be bringing over his new boyfriend. Well, Kurt, you're more than welcome to our table tomorrow."
"Thank you," Kurt answered, taking his sore hand back, "I'm happy to be here."
"Attis, sweetie," Sherrie called from the kitchen, "Can you come here a minute?"
"Excuse me, fellas," Attis moved by the two, "My lady needs me."
Kurt smiled after Attis left the living room, honestly surprised by them. "Not that I thought your parents would be mean," he said, keeping his voice a bit low, "But they're really nice. I like them."
"I told you," Dimitri took Kurt by his fingertips, leading him away and to the hallway that led to the other side of the house. There were three spare bedrooms and a bathroom, a computer room his parents hardly used unless they were printing documents, and when they reached the last bedroom to the right, Dimitri opened the door and turned on the light.
He tossed their bags to the foot of the full sized bed at the far end of the room. There were two tall windows on either side of the bed, white drapes shut over them, and a doorway into a closet off to their left, a tall dresser and skinny lamp to their right. The ceiling fan lit the room for them, and when he turned around, Kurt seemed a little disappointed. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," Kurt scrunched his nose cutely, "I was just hoping I'd be able to see a sort of time capsule of your room from when you were a kid." As if his cautiousness went out the window, Kurt neared Dimitri and kissed the older man's cheek, whispering into his ear when he said, "I thought it would've been sexy to sleep in the same bed you used to masturbate in during your adolescent years."
Dimitri covered his mouth before he could laugh too loud, "Sorry to disappoint you," he contained himself. "My parents moved out here after I was accepted into my university. All my old toys and clothes are up in the attic. My mom refused to throw anything away or put it in storage. We lived in an apartment in the city my entire childhood."
"Maybe I'll just imagine you then," Kurt pondered, "When were you born?"
"1986."
"Jeez, what did boys masturbate to in the 90s?"
With a laugh, Dimitri glanced out in the hall to make sure his parents weren't passing by the other end, and then he granted Kurt's lips a hot kiss. Their tongues meshed, sharing each other's wonderful flavor, and when he took a step away, his breath warmed the other boy's smirking lips, "I had a vivid imagination."
Tempted to kiss Kurt once more, Dimitri stepped back and controlled himself when he heard his mother call him from the living room. With their travel bags on the floor now, he and Kurt went back to the front of the house, and Sherrie was sitting back in the L-shape of the couch when they returned. In her lap was a book, and Dimitri already knew what it was for. "Come on, now," Sherrie waved them over, "You know I've got to be cliché and embarrass you with cute pictures from when you were a baby."
"Really, mom..." Dimitri said, but Kurt was all for it and sat down beside Sherrie first as he followed.
"I told her not to," Attis came from the kitchen with a glass of orange juice with liquor in it. "But the woman does what she wants."
Sherrie smiled cheekily towards Kurt who's settled next to her, opening the old photo album that crinkled when she did so. "We'll start with when we first brought Jamesy home. Oh, I love his baby pictures. Wasn't he just the cutest thing?"
The comfortableness settled into Kurt quickly as he looked upon the pictures shown to him. He'd never experienced anything like this before. Meeting the parents of the men he was once involved with was the biggest 'NO'. Given the past men he would sleep with were usually three times his own age, it wasn't a surprise to him that he'd have never been given the chance to do anything other than have sex with them. What logical grown man in their 30s and 40s would show off their fifteen/sixteen-year-old boy toy to their family? They'd have been fools. But this – this was nice, this was the sort of different he could find himself getting used to.
So far, Sherrie and Attis were likeable people, and he was most glad that Dimitri had enough faith in him and his parents that introducing them was...a good thing. And it made him feel even more secure when he could envision his own parents in Sherrie and Attis. They were sweet, obviously adored their only child, and it was comforting to know the man he loved had something so refreshing.
"Oh, and look at this one here," Sherrie nudged Kurt, "Jamesy was six and his hair was getting long, so we took him to the barber, and he cried and cried and cried – until he realized we were only trimming his bangs so he could see. Look how red his teary cheeks are."
"How cute," Kurt glanced towards Dimitri beside him, "His hair really is one of my favorite things about it."
"Isn't it nice! Like my Attis."
They had sat together until late in the night, Attis rambling off on why Dimitri should take more trips to the gym than just once a week, and Sherrie went on after the photo album about how much she didn't want to be around Aunt Nicky, Attis' brother's wife, since they didn't get along too well to begin with. And after all the goodnights were passed around, the two parents retired to their bedroom and called it a night.
"I really like your parents," Kurt said, following Dimitri to the room they'd share until tomorrow. "I love seeing when parents have great relationships with their kids."
When they were inside, Dimitri closed the door behind him and took off his shirt, "They're definitely people persons, I'll tell you that, but they know how to replace their chipper attitudes when it matters." Undoing his jeans, he stepped out of them as well and took off his shoes, Kurt watching him from the edge of the bed. "This one time, my mom and dad took me to an amusement park when I was – I think eleven – and this one dad shoved me out of the way so his kid could fill the last seat of a ride, and man my parents nearly lost their minds. My dad broke the guy's nose."
After Dimitri was down to his underwear, Kurt undressed as well, getting rid of everything aside from his own undergarments. Once the lights were turned off, he stood off to the side of the bed as the covers were pulled back for them. When he climbed in beside Dimitri, Kurt could just see the dark silhouette of the man next to him. He touched a gentle hand to the older man's chest, bringing himself closer and kissed his lips against Dimitri's collar. "I'd have done the same," he said, "I would lose my absolute shit if someone dared to put their hands on my kid."
"Have you ever – I don't know – thought about having kids someday?"
Kurt turned over on his back, bending a leg beneath the covers as he folded his arms behind his head. He stared out at the blankness above him, "No, honestly," he started, "With the kind of relationships I've been in the past years, there was never really any room for that kind of thought."
"Hmm," Dimitri rotated onto his side, reaching out to the boy beside him, and he stroked his thumb at the bottom of Kurt's chin. "My parents are desperate for a grandchild, but, I guess, I've never been in a good enough relationship to think about having one either."
"Sorry, I'm not good enough," Kurt said then, the dejection of his voice and the statement coming as a shock to the man beside him.
"I wasn't talking about you," Dimitri said quickly, "I would never think that about you."
"So..." Kurt was quiet a moment, "...despite my past, you could see a real future for us?"
The thirty-year-old moved closer to the younger boy, wrapping himself up in Kurt's welcoming arms. This was it, this was where he wanted to be the entire length of his life, and he couldn't fathom what a life for him could be like anymore without it. Interlocking his hand with Kurt's as he lay there in the one place he could see himself spending eternity, Dimitri let his head rest upon the other boy's chest. "Unfortunately, I'm a visionary," he whispered, "But there is so much potential for us, and I see a future that's more than possible for us. We can do this, Kurt, I just – need you to feel the same. I'm tired of investing all of myself into guys only to be tossed aside."
"I won't do that to you," the twenty-year-old promised, "I love you like I've never loved anyone. I want this – I want us."
_
The next morning Kurt opened his eyes to an unfamiliar room. It took him a moment to remember he and Dimitri were somewhere other than their apartment, and when his grogginess began to fade, he listened to the distant conversations taking place outside the door. Down the hall he could hear more voices, both men and women, some kids, and the only voice he recognized was Sherrie's.
When he looked towards Dimitri beside him, a smile touched his pink lips when he saw their hands were together atop the pillows, and as his eyes wandered down the bare chest of the man next to him, he felt more than tempted to wake him sexually. He'd never get over just how tasteful Dimitri looked even while he slept. Pushing the blanket on them down a little, he glided his fingertips down the older man's stomach, airbrushing circles about his perfect skin, and when he spotted the fading marks of the kisses he'd left behind, his mouth watered to litter him once again.
"Later," he heard Dimitri then and he looked up to meet sleepy hazel eyes, "We'll be back home by the end of the day."
Kurt kissed his lover's nipple with a conniving leer, licking the nub with the tip of his wet tongue, "But I'm hungry now."
Dimitri was on the verge of quickly giving in. What was wrong with a quick round of wake up sex. Then he thought about walking down the hall with his family out there and cum in his ass and lovebites all over his body. They definitely had to wait. "Later," he said again, sitting up.
Kurt pouted for a minute but joined him in getting dressed. Since it was Thanksgivings Day, he and Dimitri decided on button down shirts and jeans. After raking his brunette hair to make himself look more presentable, he fixed the buttons on his plain black shirt, and Dimitri readied himself in a dark green one with small white birds all over it. Afterwards, he shook out his golden tresses and left them down passed his shoulders.
When he opened the bedroom door a small ways once their shoes were on, he glanced out the crack. There was no one in sight right now.
With that, he pulled Kurt along to the bathroom, their small bag of toothbrushes and paste as well. He left the door open when they were inside, and the moment he was in the middle of brushing his teeth, Dimitri and Kurt jumped hard when his younger cousin Austin popped into the doorframe. He looked younger than his actual age, like a freshman in college with short cut blond hair and light blue eyes, youthful handsomeness in his face, and he was a bit skinny. "Hi, James!" Austin said loudly, and when he saw the two flinch, he said, "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."
Spitting the minty foam from his mouth, Dimitri washed his mouth out, "Hey, Austin."
"And who is this?" he asked.
"This is Kurt, my boyfriend," he touched a hand to the younger boy's back after he was finished washing out his mouth.
"Oh, nice," Austin leaned there in the doorway, "You know Aunt Nicky is going to have a field day with him, right?"
Moving by his cousin, Dimitri stepped into the hall with Kurt on his heels, "I've been through enough dinners with Nicky to know what to expect." He stopped and glanced towards Kurt, "She's like a walking questionnaire, but you don't have to answer anything that'll make you uncomfortable. She's married into the family anyways, and she gets on literally everybody's nerves besides her husband's."
Austin couldn't agree more and went out to the living room, and when Dimitri and Kurt stepped in after him, the younger boy felt his anxiousness arise yet again. There were two little girls running around in dresses, three men along with Attis having drinks on the couch, and Sherrie was in the kitchen with an elderly woman, another man and two women around Dimitri's age. Everyone in the house seemed in good spirits as they chatted the early afternoon away, all one happy family, and the atmosphere overwhelmed Kurt.
But...
If he someday wanted to become a true part of Dimitri's family, this is what he had to get used to.
___
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